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FUN: Round and Round They Go

NASA's Satellite Tracking page is a boon for backyard astronomers and anyone who's curious about objects in the sky. The site's Java applets help users keep tabs on some of the more than 8000 human-made structures orbiting Earth. A two-dimensional map shows the current positions of the international space station, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and a swarm of satellites. Click on the map to find out when a particular craft will pass overhead. Or for a 3D view, select the J-Track feature, which displays the orbits of some 700 satellites. Another applet pinpoints satellites that will be visible from your home tonight.